JEAN-LOUIS AKPA AKPRO made a positive first impression as Tranmere made a winning start to their summer schedule of pre-season friendlies at The Kirklands.

The pace and movement of the striker, who signed for Rovers after leaving Rochdale at the end of last season, put an extra cutting edge on the visitor’s game in the second half of an entertaining work-out.

Akpro didn’t know much about his 85th minute goal, which was sandwiched between a couple of strikes from midfielder Max Power. Tranmere made their extra fitness count late on and merited the victory, but for more than an hour they were made to work hard by the non-League hosts.

Manager Ronnie Moore had half a dozen trialists on view as he looks to add a couple of new faces to the squad preparing for the start of the 2012/13 League One campaign.

However, it was Andy Robinson, a seasoned professional in his 30s, who looked like the player with the greatest appetite to be at the heart of the action in the first half.

Perhaps Robinson was eager to impress fans who remember how the Rock Ferry born midfielder first came to the attention of League clubs with compelling performances in a Lairds shirt a decade ago.

Robinson’s industry, and that of midfielders Danny Harrison and Liam Palmer, who is starting a six-month loan from Sheffield Wednesday, kept the visitors in control during the opening 45 minutes.

Indeed, towering trialist goalkeeper Jason Mooney, who is from Northern Ireland, was rarely tested on the night, although he was grateful when a cross from John Reilly skidded past his hands struck the right-hand post shortly before half-time.

Trialist centre-backs Mohamed Ali Gharzoul, who has been playing in France, and later Tom Riley, a Merseysider who has been in the USA, were comfortable without being stretched.

Tranmere were not able to turn territorial advantage into a tangible reward before the break because Lairds goalkeeper John Molloy saved from Palmer and Robinson and Harrison could not cash in after being sent clear through the inside left channel by Palmer.

Tranmere changed the 10 outfield players at half-time and introduced Abdulai Bell-Baggie into the attack.

A winger who was with Salisbury City last season, Bell-Baggie quickly caused a buzz around the sundrenched crowd with his turn of pace and darting runs. Francis Jeffers, the former Everton and Arsenal striker who has been training with Tranmere this summer while he looks for another club, might have given the visitors the lead on the hour mark.

He galloped clear from a through pass by skipper James Wallace, only to be thwarted by a close range save from Molloy.

Tranmere’s pressure finally paid dividends on 75 minutes when Will Vaulks and Akpro combined neatly on the left to release Power into the box for a firm finish from 15 yards.

Akpro, cutting in from the left, drove a shot against the top of the crossbar a minute later. Both Akpro and Jeffers had shots blocked on the goal line in the 85th minute scramble but when Power knocked the ball back into the danger zone from the resulting corner, Akpro’s deflection took it over the line.

Power completed the scoring three minutes from time by crashing a shot into the net off the underside of the crossbar.